Green Room

18 Dem Senators seemingly unaware that Obamacare tax would kill jobs

I guess you really do have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it. In a letter to Harry Reid, 18 Democratic Senators requested a delay in implementing the medical-device tax, because it just came to their attention that we are a net exporter of medical devices, and it would be nice to not kill that advantage by sapping it of capital needed for future innovation and jobs, at least for now.

As discussions on the fiscal cliff and our nation’s economic future progress, we write to request a delay in the implementation of the medical device excise tax scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2013.

The medical technology industry directly employs over 400,000 people in the United States and is responsible for a total of two million high-skilled manufacturing jobs. Additionally, this industry is also one of the few that enjoys a net trade surplus, significantly boosting U.S. exports around the globe. In an environment focused on increasing exports, promoting small businesses, and growing high-tech manufacturing jobs for the future, we must do all we can to ensure that our country maintains its global leadership position in the medical technology industry and keeps good jobs here at home.

With this year quickly drawing to a close, the medical device industry has received little guidance about how to comply with the tax-causing significant uncertainty and confusion for businesses. As we work together to develop a long-term solution to help move our economy forward, reduce our debt and reform our tax code, we urge you to support delaying enactment of this provision in a fiscally responsible manner.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you on this critical issue that will benefit patients, innovators and boost our country’s economic growth.

The list includes both geniuses from my state that voted for this tax before they opposed it, at least temporarily. Here’s a question: if the tax is bad in the short run, why is it good for this industry in the long run?

Blowback

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Yeah, but they passed the freaking thing over 2 1/2 years ago! And it’s not like this tax was a secret back when it was being debated in Congress. How in the hell can they be this out of the loop less than 3 weeks before it goes into effect?!

I guess that explains all the threats of boycotts from the libtards when members of the food service industry announced plans to cut back hours for full-time employees and institute hiring freezes. They really didn’t have a clue that this was due to the taxes in Obamacare.

Additionally, this industry is also one of the few that enjoys a net trade surplus, significantly boosting U.S. exports around the globe. In an environment focused on increasing exports, promoting small businesses, and growing high-tech manufacturing jobs for the future, we must do all we can to ensure that our country maintains its global leadership position in the medical technology industry and keeps good jobs here at home.

That sounds like a Republican argument to me. Isn’t that the same thing the GOP has been saying for awhile when it comes to income tax… that taxes sap capital and jobs from whatever activity they are levied upon? So, the Dems do recognize this basic economic principal? Interesting then that it concerns them when it’s being levied on the medical device industry (*looks around for medical device industry lobbyists*) but doesn’t so much concern them when it’s income taxes that hit everyone (or 50% of us, at least).

No. Make them own it. So the Laws of Economics only apply when it’s politically inconvenient for Schumer, Franken, Durbin and Warren et al? And they’ve discovered these amazing facts just weeks before the taxes kick in on a two year old law? Of course delaying this tax makes Obamacare’s voodoo math even more supernatural, but Democrats never knew much or gave a crap about math to begin with.

I still don’t understand why they even want to tax medical devices? To make them so expensive that people can’t afford them? That ins. companies won’t cover them? I still think obamacare is some 1984 nightmare that I need to wake up from.

Kerry and Warren are on it. I’m sure they’ve gotten an earful from companies in MA.

Medical devices make up the leading exports for Massachusetts, and state stalwarts such as Boston Scientific Corp., PerkinElmer Inc., Covidien PLC, and Abiomed will be well represented this week. Unlike the state’s biotech sector, which is centered in Cambridge and Boston’s western suburbs, so-called medtech companies dot the entire state, said Tom Sommer, president of the state medical device council in Boston. They also support a supplier base that includes former aerospace industry machine shops around Springfield and injection-molding businesses north of Worcester that once served the auto industry, Sommer said.

Hey, it’s Dembeciles to the rescue. They asked for the delay bcuz they plan to have it repealed. Repealed–where’ve I heard that before? You’d think the senators from MN–and everywhere else–could’ve done their jobs two years ago and read the stupid bill, or maybe have done their jobs since then and read it at any time since then and before now, but noooooooooooooooo, they’re the knights ridin’ in on the white horses come to save the country!